Pretending to Cultivate in Kindergarten-Chapter 23: Lianxin Festival

Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, He Qing carefully adjusted her hairstyle and smoothed out the edges of her snow-white dress.

“Mom, I’m going out shopping with Han Wenwen! If Grandma wakes up, let her know for me!”

Her mother, Aunt He, called out from the kitchen while making breakfast. “Qingqing? You’re not eating before you go?”

“I’ll just grab something with Wenwen! Bye, Mom!”

By now, Little He Qing had grown into a graceful young girl, her beauty blossoming with time.

If a few years ago she was simply cute and pure, now the word beautiful finally fit her.

Of course, when it came to looks, she still thought she wasn’t as stunning as her best friend, Han Wenwen. Ever since He Qing met her, she felt that Han Wenwen was growing more and more like a fox spirit.

But unlike He Qing’s sweetness, Han Wenwen’s beauty had an indescribable charm—something that wasn’t exactly cute, but uniquely captivating.

—

At the street corner, He Qing stood waiting.

Before long, Han Wenwen appeared from behind, wearing a fitted pink dress with her long hair cascading over her shoulders.

Sneaking up from behind, she suddenly covered He Qing’s eyes and planted a quick kiss on her cheek.

“Guess who?”

Startled, He Qing yelped, “Wenwen! Why do you always tease me like this?!”

Han Wenwen giggled, covering her mouth playfully before tilting her head, her fox-like eyes glimmering mischievously.

“What’s wrong? It’s just a little kiss between girls. If I don’t kiss you now, I might not get the chance in the future.”

He Qing wiped her cheek helplessly and gave her friend a sideways glance.

“What do you mean not get the chance? Didn’t you say we’d go to the same middle school together?”

Han Wenwen linked arms with her. “Of course, I’ll go with you. But that’s not what I meant. I’m saying that once you start going to school with your childhood sweetheart, will there even be room for me?”

He Qing blushed, unable to respond. “What nonsense are you talking about?”

Han Wenwen smirked. “So, have you talked to him recently?”

“No, nothing much has been happening lately. But after we finish at Lianxin Festival today, I’ll call him.”

The two best friends walked toward the festival.

“You sure are diligent about updating him. I’m really curious—how ridiculously handsome does he have to be for you to be this obsessed?”

He Qing mumbled, “He was pretty good-looking as a kid, but I don’t know what he looks like now.”

“Huh? Don’t you two talk on the phone all the time? You’ve never done a video call?”

“Nope, never.”

Han Wenwen stared at her in disbelief. “You’re unbelievable. You’re way too timid!”

—

Two years ago, they met on a rainy day at school. Han Wenwen had been moved by He Qing’s kindness and decided to repay her in whatever way she could.

Whenever He Qing was assigned classroom cleaning duty, Han Wenwen would stay behind to help. If anyone badmouthed He Qing, Han Wenwen would clap back without hesitation.

Not that He Qing needed the help—she was more than capable of fighting back on her own.

But He Qing was the type who never forgot a kindness, no matter the reason behind it. Since Han Wenwen treated her well, she naturally returned the favor.

Over time, the two became inseparable.

Now, two years later, they were the closest of friends, knowing each other inside and out.

—

The Lianxin Festival was bustling with excitement.

Holding hands or linking arms, the two girls wandered through the various stalls, enjoying themselves immensely.

At one point, they stopped at a stall selling love letters.

This reminded He Qing of something. “Wenwen, has anyone confessed to you this month?”

Bending down to inspect the envelopes, Han Wenwen propped her hands on her knees. She recognized quite a few.

“Oh, yeah. Maybe it’s because of the festival—just yesterday, I found three love letters in my backpack.”

“What? Three? Did you read them?”

Han Wenwen shook her head. “Nope. I can already guess what they say—‘I like you so much,’ blah blah blah. I’m not interested in any of them.”

Then she glanced back at He Qing with curiosity. “What about you? Has your good brother ever written you a love letter?”

Flustered, He Qing replied, “W-What? It’s not like we’re at that stage yet… I don’t even think he knows I like him.”

Han Wenwen rolled her eyes. “Do you think guys are that dumb? Okay, maybe a little, but I doubt your good brother is an idiot.”

“Yeah… he is really smart. He’s good at everything.”

—

The two girls wandered for hours, from the base of the hill to the heart of the festival—the Tree of Devotion, located halfway up the mountain.

This was the busiest spot at Lianxin Festival.

Interestingly, as they walked, a group of boys suddenly stepped out from the crowd, holding flowers. It seemed like they had been waiting there on purpose.

The one in the center held out a bouquet toward Han Wenwen and confessed his feelings.

Judging by his uniform, he was from another school.

He Qing let out a sigh.

Even she was getting used to this by now—let alone Han Wenwen.

Sure enough, Han Wenwen turned them down cheerfully but directly.

“Sorry, I don’t like you.” Then, with a mischievous smile, she added, “But you’re pretty handsome—maybe some other girl will like you!”

Before leaving, she even pulled a hair clip from her pocket and handed it to him. “Here, take this as a souvenir. Anyway, we’re off to shop more. Bye-bye!”

That was just Han Wenwen’s way—she always rejected people with a compliment.

Maybe that was why even the guys she turned down still kept liking her.

—

Finally, they reached the Tree of Devotion.

The massive, ancient tree was covered in fluttering red ribbons, swaying in the wind like a breathtaking sea of red.

Seeing it for the first time, He Qing’s eyes sparkled with wonder.

“It’s like something straight out of a romance novel! I heard that a thousand years ago, a couple was separated for some reason, but after tying red ribbons on this tree, they found their way back to each other.”

Han Wenwen nodded. “Yeah, that’s the story. Did you bring your own ribbon?”

He Qing pulled a red ribbon with a small cloth tag from her pocket. “Of course! What about you?”

Han Wenwen waved hers. “Got it right here! Let’s find a spot to write our wishes—people say writing them on the spot makes them more likely to come true.”

They squatted down and began writing.

He Qing carefully wrote:

“I hope I can see him soon—and that we’ll always be together.”

She glanced over and saw Han Wenwen chewing on her pen cap, lost in thought.

“Wenwen, you’re not done yet?”

“I’m thinking… I’ve never really considered what kind of guy I like.”

He Qing chuckled. Every kind of guy has confessed to you, and you haven’t picked a single one.

“I’m curious too.”

Suddenly, Han Wenwen’s eyes lit up. “Got it!”

She scribbled on her ribbon:

“I want my future man to know exactly what I want.”

He Qing looked confused. “What does that mean?”

“It means I hope my future boyfriend is someone who understands me on a deeper level.”

They both burst into laughter.

He Qing covered her mouth, giggling. “Wow, that sounds so poetic.”

After tying their ribbons onto the tree, they noticed a nearby stall offering wooden tokens that revealed the surname of one’s future lover.

Han Wenwen grabbed one at random.

It had a single character on it—Lin.

He Qing’s eyes widened. “Lin?”

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Han Wenwen raised an eyebrow. “What? Don’t tell me your childhood sweetheart’s last name is Lin?”

“…Yeah, it is.”

Han Wenwen laughed, linking arms with He Qing and holding up the token. “Looks like we really are best friends! Even our future boyfriends have the same surname! Maybe he has a long-lost brother?”

The two girls continued strolling through the festival, joking and laughing.

Meanwhile, the two red ribbons they had tied onto the tree swayed in the wind—twisting together, as if bound by fate.